DID you miss the non-event of the year? Well, you certainly weren't alone.

Despite hype reaching fever pitch with tales of dramatic views and emotional experiences during Wednesday's (August 11) 'spectacle', the reality was quite different. Those who had chosen the promenade as a vantage point were disappointed at the event billed as a spectacular once-in-a-lifetime experience (although Pleasure Beach chairman Doris Thompson, now 96, saw the last one in 1927).

Workers poured out of shops and office blocks but the experience turned out as no more than a run-of-the-mill break from work.

Many thought the cloudy weather had obscured their view and some simply believed nothing had happened except the weather had gone cold and dull. One man commented: "It wasn't at all what I expected, very disappointing. We tried to see it in a puddle and couldn't see anything". Despite the lack of darkness, light displays were turned on at Blackpool Tower and the Pleasure Beach as planned, but hardly visible.

There were some, however, who had a different experience altogether after buying specially designed eclipse viewing glasses.

The 3rd Havering Scout Group, visiting from Romford in Essex confirmed this view, at first believing the event to be a flop. Once offered the glasses, however, cries of amazement at the sight of the sun partially obscured by the moon were the order of the day. John Pye summed up the opinion of his fellow scouts exclaiming: "It was groovy. Dark but with a bit of class!"

The difference in people's opinions was extraordinary when offered the glasses, even the cast of Eclipse took to the prom armed with cameras and glasses and were extremely impressed with the view.

For most, though, it was a case of blink and you missed it, not at all what was expected and the non-event of the year.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.